Skinning device



Oct. 4, 1938. R. K. Scl-:MID ET AL 2,132,087,

SKINNING DEVICE Y Filed May 7, 1936 Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE'.

SKINNING DEVICE Richard Karl Schmid and Walter Paul Wezel,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a skinning device having oppositely rotatable oscillatory knives in the form of toothed discs.

An object of the invention is to eliminate drawbacks of existing devices of this type and of the drive means thereof, such as the employment of a complex mechanism in the handle for converting rotary motion of a flexible shaft into oscillatory rotation of the knives, which mechanism with its ball bearings is apt to be soon damaged by the entrance of blood, fat, etc` Also the usual drive of the mechanism by means oi a rotary flexible shaft is replaced by stronger and durable means.

By way of example, a device embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the Skinning device in cross section through the housing and with a cover cheek of the housing removed to show the upper knife disc.

Fig. 2 is a view of one of the knife discs and its oscillatory drive means.

Fig. 3 is a partial section at 3-3 of Fig. 1, on a larger scale showing the mounting of the knife discs in the housing.

Fig. 4 shows the drive motor and transmission, partly in section and partly in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing how the replaceable blades are secured to the discs, the section being taken through a tooth gap.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing teeth of the blades and discs.

Referring to the drawing, a1, a2 are two disclike knives with cutting teeth at their circumference and rotatably movable relatively to one another during the Skinning operation. The knives al, a2 are supported in a housing b in such a manner as to be movable about their central axis. For this purpose the knife discs have central circular openings A (Fig. 2) by which they are journalled on a circular shoulder or rim u (Fig. 3) of a cheek b1 extending from one side of the base or shank of the housing'b which cheek partly encloses the discs in cooperation with a removable cheek or cover b2 on the other side, which is attached by screws or other suitable means to the main part of the housing. The holes b3 for these fastenings are shown in Fig. 1.

The drive for the knives a1, a2 comprises a rectilinearly reciprocating shaft c which at its operative end carries two oppositely inclined forks d1, d2 engaging pins or rolls el, e2 on the knives a1, a2. When the spindle c is reciprocated longitudinally, as indicated in Fig. 2 by the double arrow, the knives al, a2 will turn to and fro or oscillate through a. certain angle in opposite directions, By means of the cutting edges of the teeth f of the knives al, a2, the connective tissue between the skin and the flesh is easily out without making an incision in the skin.

Fig. 5 shows knife discs with replaceable blades. 'I'he knife discs al, a2 each comprises a disc member h formed with a shouldered recess in its inner face, and an annular blade g mounted in the recess in such a manner that the blades are held in the recesses between the members h as shown in the figure.

Fig. 6 shows a single tooth f of the blade g and its relation to the disc h.v It will be seen that the sides of the cutting tooth ,f project beyond the disc h. The edges of the teeth are sharpened to out through the connective tissue when the device is in use.

As the reciprocatory drive of the spindle c causes vibration of the housing b during working.which would be troublesome to the operator, a grip sleeve z' is loosely arranged on the shank part of the housing b and is connected with the latter only at the end by a helical spring ic, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shaft c is moved to and fro by a motor l by means of an eccentric m, crank rod n, and Bowden wire 0, the latter beng disposed in a strong flexible tube p.

Since the only drive element in the housing b is the shaft c, wear or other damage cannot occur. The wire oresponds to tension and compression and is guided with little play in the tube p which is strong and flexible.

1. A Skinning device, comprising a housing having a handle portion, knives journalled in said housing, a reciprocating drive shaft journalled and movable longitudinally in said housing, a fork on the working end of the shaft and having oppositely inclined slots, and means ar ranged on the knives for engaging the slots so that the reciprocating motion of the shaft will be converted into an oscillatory rotational motion of the knives.

2. A Skinning device according to claim l, in which a motor, a wire, and a flexible tube are provided, said motor being separate from the housing, the wire being responsive to tensionY and compression for driving the shaft from the motor, and the tube accommodating said wire with slight play.

3. A skinning device according to claim l, in which a grip sleeve and a spring are provided, the sleeve being loosely arranged on the handle portion of the housing, and the spring connecting one end of the grip sleeve with the handle portion. v Y

RICHARD KARL SCI-IMID. WALTER PAUL WEZEL. 

